S08.E04: Revenue Per Square Foot

[Chicago Redshirt]

Quote

Alex is caught between Harvey and Zane as Louis struggles to overcome a shocking setback.

Edited August 9, 2018 by Chicago Redshirt

[Chicago Redshirt]

Probably one of the better episodes this season, but that's not saying a ton.

I dislike how artificial some of these conflicts are. I can't even conceive of someone who got mugged at gunpoint who would rather lie about that and suffer career consequences rather than look "weak." Or that Louis didn't bother (as far as we saw) to talk about this traumatic event with his therapist, when he's booked a week's worth of sessions for far less serious things. I will say that Rick Hoffman can show range when the writers let him. Maybe they should let him. I would rather see serious, dramatic Louis than the sexcapades of Louis and Sheila. They used to be funny, but I think they've gone to that well a few times to many.

Just think about how toxic a workplace ZSL now is. It has given Katrina migraines because she's so stressed out, and she feels she has to hide those migraines from most everyone or else she can't be considered for senior partner. Also she would rather soldier on and suffer those migraines to potentially get senior partner. And now Louis, a named partner in the firm, was initially too scared to tell anyone but the always wonderful Gretchen about what happened to him. 

Hey, there was lawyering! Even if it didn't make any sense. There is no reason I can think of why a party would want a motion to dismiss and a motion for change of venue to be heard simultaneously. A motion to dismiss would get rid of the case entirely. It would make the most sense to see if that worked, and if it doesn't, then seek to change venue. 

The rehabilitation of Samantha continues. Now we know that she's into fighting not just because it's lazy writer shorthand for "she's a badass" but because she was mugged and learning self-defense was a way of recovering from that. I was hoping she would have used her woman-of-mystery powers to have tracked down Louis's assailant or something.

Harvey didn't exactly give his word and then break it, but meeting with Whatever Company and then selling them out immediately is pretty darn close. Zane even called it bad faith, which is about one of the worst things you can do as a lawyer. We did get a pop culture reference, though, so I will forgive a lot. I don't remember anything being said about Harvey being a Trek/Kirk fan.

[statsgirl]

Finally an episode where their new star Katherine Heigl didn't make we want to fast forward all her storyline.

I kept wondering through the episode how Zane could have all that power when he was such a bad leader.  But that's probably how it is in the real world too, he's such a pushy person he'd want everyone to kowtow to him. It's stupid because it limits people's effectiveness. I know many will cheer Donna being taken down but I thought the first glimmer of social intelligence in Zane was when Donna told him that maybe this behaviour is what lost him his last firm.

I wonder if Alex will still be a Magnum fan after he sees the new reboot.  (I lost my Magnum love when Selleck started stealing water from the city during a drought.)

5 hours ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

The rehabilitation of Samantha continues. Now we know that she's into fighting not just because it's lazy writer shorthand for "she's a badass" but because she was mugged and learning self-defense was a way of recovering from that. I was hoping she would have used her woman-of-mystery powers to have tracked down Louis's assailant or something.

That's such lazy writing.  They open with her kickboxing so you see what a badass she is, and then take four episodes to walk it back into her being a sympathetic character.

[xtwheeler]

I remain mystified why the writers think any of us give the slightest shit about this "whose name goes up on the wall next" thing, particularly when all the characters in question are basically brand new and we don't care about to begin with.

And not for nothing, but law firms don't change names like that.  Younger firms like this one will at times because partners come and go and if your name is in the firm name, and you leave, you take your name with you, but there's a reason Skaaden Arps and Gibson Dunn have had the same names forever. The thought of the cost of changing the letterhead alone is giving me fits.

[mommalib]

I liked Zane smacking down Donna, she is so annoying.

[catrice2]

So they spent several seasons building up Robert Zane as as well respected highly-skilled lawyer and now he's so reprehensible that his own firm outed him and he can't get along with anybody and of course he had to be a young black man that committed a crime.

Meanwhile Harvey who knowingly bought in a fraud as somewhat of a joke is 

On higher moral ground, and that's without getting into the other things that he's done.

Rick Hoffman has become unwatchable for me and of course Donna always has to be right.

[7-Zark-7]

I feel like the second half of the show redeemed the first. I'm tired of all the barking. Mike and Rachel were two of a few lawyers who had full grasp of the indoor voice and they're gone.

Edited August 10, 2018 by 7-Zark-7

[Joimiaroxeu]

Looks like Donna's lost a noticeable amount of weight.

Still fascinated at how Sam only wears black or white outfits.

[Chicago Redshirt]

On 8/9/2018 at 9:58 PM, catrice2 said:

So they spent several seasons building up Robert Zane as as well respected highly-skilled lawyer and now he's so reprehensible that his own firm outed him and he can't get along with anybody and of course he had to be a young black man that committed a crime.

Meanwhile Harvey who knowingly bought in a fraud as somewhat of a joke is 

On higher moral ground, and that's without getting into the other things that he's done.

Rick Hoffman has become unwatchable for me and of course Donna always has to be right.

I don't think Harvey was portrayed as being on higher moral ground in this dispute, or really any of the disputes he has had with Robert.

Robert's position was sound and pragmatic - you can't go meet with a potential client and then stab the potential client in the back, because if you do, that potential client will trash you to all other potential clients and you'll lose business in the long run. So the best play is to smooth things over with the original potential client.

Harvey's position was - We can and should ditch the original potential client because it will make us more money on this deal, and even if it doesn't, we're not going to bend over for Robert.

The way Alex tried to take out of the no-win scenario -- sign the brainchild of the target company -- probably wouldn't work, because any work he did while at the target company is certainly going to be the property of the target company.

[grommit2]

Ok...my 2 cents:  
Everything is superficial:  big windows in big offices.  Long carpeted hallways.  
All lawyers read through stacks of paper in 3 seconds, realize their intent, then render instant legal jargon.  
No one ever takes off their suit jacket.  What...no coat hooks?
Louis is repetitively weak.  But, then, all the others are just plain superficial.

Now, what would really make this show sing is if they:
(1) hire Ray Donovan as their fixer (sort of like George Clooney as Michael Clayton, but with a baseball bat);
(2) order lunch from Montauk's Lobster Roll (after they go national) and have it delivered by "The Affair's" Alison (oh boy...fireworks ensue!);
(3) represent Axe Capital in a money laundering case (the show is filmed in Toronto, but supposed to be set in NYC, which means that Chuck Rhoades would lead the case, or would he?)
(4) represent Carrie Madison in a lawsuit against Russian oligarchs (err..."businessmen").